Bold in flavor and dense in nutrition, this crunchy-nutty-sassy-savory-sweet meal is a golden delight you will make again and again! Whip up my Easy Carrot Slaw with Smoky Maple Tempeh Triangles and you'll be swooning over veggies and plant-based protein. This is an easy recipe with cravable flavors. Make-ahead meal approved!
And moms, dads and college students, this is totally back-to-school perfect for a weeknight meal...
This is one of my favorite vegan meals to make. A "go-to" status recipe for sure. I adore it because it is super easy to whip up, bold in flavor and complex textures and even better, if you want, you can make it a few hours in advance, stick it in the fridge and enjoy it when you are ready.
Hot or Cold. This entire dish, from the slaw to the skillet-seared tempeh is delicious served right away (freshly tossed slaw with steaming hot tempeh) or chilled (chilled tempeh and slaw, both a bit more marinated in flavors). The goods: vitamin A rich carrots are tossed in a light yet bold sweet-tahini-curry dressing, then topped with protein-rich tempeh triangles that are bursting with savory-sweet flavor. This vegan meal is a winner! I hope you will try it and share it with friends in family. Especially those of you looking to experiment with tempeh, aka a fermented soybean product that is less processed than tofu, and has a firm texture and nutty complex flavor. My recipe..
So nice to come back to this kind of food after a long and CRAZY weekend. Seriously guys, I went from Thursday night until Sunday afternoon without stopping. First up was an Emmy Awards gifting suite with my girl Sophie from Philosophie, and then I was a bridesmaid in a wonderful friend's wedding in Malibu! More on both of those events in a later post. Here is a snippet..
Easy Carrot Slaw with Smoky Maple Tempeh Triangles
By Published 08/24/2014
Bold, crunchy tahini and curry dressed carrot slaw meets sticky-sweet smoky-maple glazed tempeh triangles for a vegan meal you will come to crave.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces tempeh, sliced into triangles
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
- 1 ½ tablespoon maple syrup, grade B
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil or virgin coconut oil
- 2-3 teaspoon tamari or 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon crushed raw walnuts
- 4 cups shredded carrots
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (for added turmeric power, optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon tahini
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- sweet stuff: 1 - 1 ½ tablespoon maple syrup + an optional handful or raisins
- ½ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped + some for garnish
- a few pinches of cayenne for heat (optional)
- salt and pepper for carrot salad - to taste
Instructions
- Warm a skillet up over high heat and add in the coconut or olive oil.
- When oil is hot, add the tempeh triangles, tamari, maple and liquid smoke. Flip the tempeh around a bit to allow it to absorb the liquid. Cook for about 5 minutes, flipping the tempeh a few times throughout the cooking process. When tempeh is browned and edges blackened a bit, and all liquid absorbed, turn off heat. Sprinkle the walnut pieces and some black pepper over top the tempeh and set pan aside to keep triangles warm in skillet.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the carrots, tahini, lemon juice, spices, parsley, maple syrup, optional raisins and onion. Toss very well for a few minutes to marinate the carrots with the dressing. For a creamier salad, add another spoonful of tahini. To thin things out and make the salad zestier, add another splash of lemon juice or a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Finally, add salt and pepper to the carrot salad to taste.
- Pour the carrot salad in a large serving bowl and top with the tempeh. Serve right away or place in the fridge to serve in a few hours or up to a day later. The carrots will soften the longer they set in the fridge.
Yield: 4 servingsPrep Time: 00 hrs. 15 mins. Cook time: 00 hrs. 05 mins. Total time: 20 mins.
Nutrition
- Calories: 263
- Fat: 12.8g
- Protein: 14g
- Dietaryfiber: 4.2g
- Totalcarbs: 27g
Tags: salad,dinner,tempeh,entree,carrots,vegan,slaw,protein
Alexina Aron says
I'm eating this right now and it's amazing. I would definitely make this for someone if I was trying to impress them.
Mariam Tortoledo says
I made this and I fell in love. Anytime I think about tempeh this jumps to mind and my mouth starts watering and well thats what I'm having for dinner or lunch. So delicious thank you for this wonderful recipe❤❤❤
Kathy Patalsky says
So happy to hear that Mariam! I love this one too!
Srinidhi Bellamkonda says
Hello Kathy,
How would you meal prep this? Grate the carrots and freeze them?
Swati says
Thanks Kathy for the recipe. Had to change it a bit as tempeh is not so easily available in India. Will be posting about it in my blog http://www.swalads.wordpress.com
🙂
Michelle says
Love the sound of this and will try and make to bring my lunch on the go. One question...other than the onions in the recipe, what are the "yellow strips" mixed in with the carrots in the picture? I can't see that they'd be onions, so it's got me stumped. Thanks.
judy says
I made this tonight and it was amazing! The only problem was limiting myself to one serving! Dreaming of the leftovers tomorrow!
Vanessa says
Just made this and it was delicious! So easy and quick to make, and full of flavour!
Kathy Patalsky says
So glad you liked it!
Samantha says
Was wondering if I could use date syrup instead of maple syrup?
Kathy Patalsky says
sure!
Debbie Hanson says
Thank you for the fantastic recipe. I cut the tempeh into very small (bite size) triangles and brought this to a pot luck. It was one of the first plates to be cleared and I didn't see anyone that didn't finish all of theirs.
Kathy Patalsky says
nice!!! love that 🙂
Katharine in Brussels says
Hi Kathy, thanks for this recipe! Just like Kyra I have these ingredients on hand too, they were queued for other dishes but all that is changed now. Dinner is on for tonight 🙂 can't wait. Will make some other dishes or there will be no hope that my family will leave anything for lunch.
Katharine in Brussels says
Kathy, I just noticed the printer-friendly verison says '...tempeh, sliced into tempeh'. Perhaps you mean triangles? I'm starting dinner now 🙂
Kathy Patalsky says
haha whoops. Will fix that! thanks! Had tempeh on the brain obviously 🙂 yes triangles!!! hope dinner was a success!
Millie | Add A Little says
This looks delicious Kathy!! Love the recipe!
Kathy Patalsky says
thank you!
Kyra says
Oh this is perfect - I have all the ingredients ready for me to make this for dinner tonight, can't wait! By the way, in the photo, is that just the diced onion I can see amongst the grated carrots? At first I was thinking it was cabbage but can't see that in your recipe!
Kathy Patalsky says
no cabbage in this recipe, but cabbage would be a yummy add in!
Kate says
I made this tonight, and I am IN LOVE. This salad is so so delicious, and something about the Curry and the Maple Syrup really make it totally unique. I could have eaten mountains of it! Thank you for a fantastic recipe, this is really going to be a regular for me, and my newly vegan husband!
Kathy Patalsky says
So glad you enjoyed it Kate!!! Made my day to hear that!
Emily K. says
Wow, I've been looking for a great easy go to salad and now I have found it! Thanks, it looks and sounds mouthwatering!!!
Kathy Patalsky says
Thank you Emily!
RockMyVeganSocks says
You are busy bee! This sounds so good. You just keep the amazing recipes coming - you have such great ideas. I tried your sandwich & potatoes over the weekend - amazeballs!
Kathy Patalsky says
Thank you so much!! I will keep them coming.. 🙂
Bee says
Just FYI, the ingredient list says '8 ounces tempeh, sliced into tempeh' 😉
Kathy Patalsky says
yes yes 🙂 need to fix that like now 🙂
Renard Moreau says
[ Smiles ] This recipe is worthy of trying!
coconutandberries says
This is one I make regularly! Or a similar one you've posted anyway 🙂 Love that smoky maple tempeh!
Kathy Patalsky says
Yes it is similar! But I wanted to make it again, re-photograph, you know the drill! Winning recipes need to be made again and again! 🙂
sarah@mydarlingvegan says
Looks amazing, Kathy! Such a perfect end of summer/ beginning of fall transition meal!
Kathy Patalsky says
Yes I agree!
John Hartil says
This looks rather awesome!!
Kathy Patalsky says
thank you!
Jen says
This looks yum! Also I love the dancing - just like Britney herself!
Kathy Patalsky says
haha THANK YOU 🙂
Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Such a stunning recipe! Those tempeh triangles are calling my name!!
Kathy Patalsky says
Thank you! They are sooo good, hope you can try them!
Rivki Locker says
I love tempeh but don't have too many recipes for it. This looks like a really nice one to add to my repertoire. Thanks!
Kathy Patalsky says
Glad you like it Rivki!